October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month or as we like to call it here at B103, Pink Month! All month long, we’re proud to partner with UW Health and our Pink Power Partner, Les’ Cleaning Services, to shine a light on strength, hope, and early detection.

This week on The Chelsea & Friends Morning Show, I sat down with Amanda, who’s from Elgin and works with Les’ Cleaning Services. Amanda’s story is one of bravery, community, and the power of knowing your body.

Amanda discovered she carried the BRCA2 gene, which increases the risk for several cancers, including breast cancer. Her decision to get genetic testing quite literally saved her life. During an MRI ordered by her geneticist, doctors found suspicious spots and shortly after, she was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer.

What’s incredible is that Amanda had no symptoms. No lumps, no pain, nothing that would’ve tipped her off. If she’d waited for her first mammogram at 40, her cancer might have gone undetected for years.

“I saved my life by doing that genetic testing and MRI,” Amanda shared. “If I didn’t do that, where would this be four years later?”

Through it all, Amanda has stayed positive, continuing to work and surround herself with an amazing support system. That includes her boss, Leslie, the owner of Les’ Cleaning Services, who stood by her side every step of the way. Leslie and the Les’ Cleaning team even joined Amanda for the recent breast cancer walk, showing what community support really looks like.

“I wanted to stay as normal as possible through treatment,” Amanda said. “Having Leslie, my family, my clients, and everyone cheering me on, it keeps me strong and positive.”

Amanda’s strength is nothing short of inspiring, and her story reminds all of us how important it is to advocate for our health. Whether it’s scheduling that mammogram, talking to your doctor about genetic testing, or encouraging a loved one to get checked, early detection truly saves lives.

Listen to the full interview from The Chelsea & Friends Morning Show to hear Amanda’s story in her own words below: